Camila came upon an interesting sight. Sunbathing Ledyba and some on a tree passing berries and othrr things back and forth to some Paras. "How interesting." She took a picture of the trading ones and thrn of ghr sunbathing ones. The assistant was ferling a little brave even and inched closer and closer, trying to get a better picture with her phone.

They seemed peaceful to each other so she could at least hope they would be to her. "Hi guys, don't mind me. Peaceful Lab Assistant moving close to take a cute picture." She muttered to herself. It'd be nice if they gave the Pokemon equivalent to a happy hello but Camila was prepared to run or fight if necessary.

---

Location: Ancient Grove
Mentions: N/A

Well, look at that. Isla hadn’t fully expected the method to work, not as well as it had, and she was pleased as could be with herself that it had worked. The Budew seemed to be relaxing, at least as much as could be expected, moving forward a little bit, opening up and maybe getting just a little bit bigger. Well…the girl didn’t really know, not entirely, how the whole Budew thing worked, but she was still pretty pleased that the Pokémon was relaxing and walking up and all the rest. Surely it wasn’t interested in attacking or anything.

Isla flicked more water to the bulb Pokémon, smiling a bit. Well, smiling until she felt that tickle in her nose. They were flowering! Why hadn’t she thought of that before? Why hadn’t she considered that a flower opening might involve some other things. She felt that tickle in her nose, kept breathing pretty deeply despite the impulse to hold her breath or anything of that sort, and let out a “_choo” as Isla’s head whipped forward, free arm swinging forward to shield it.

Deeply breathing out, the girl opened her eyes again, making sure that she had kept it quiet enough despite the absolutely violent head motion, making sure she hadn’t scared the little Budew away. Despite the Pokémon having a heck of an effect on the air, Isla still wanted to make friends with them. She hadn’t seen the little guys before, not on the Sevii Islands, and they were pretty interesting.

---

---

Location: Abandoned Stellar Toy Co. Factory Mentions: @Savo @Rune_Alchemist @Vertigo @Crusader Lord

---

After her initial greeting towards Clarissa, Jill had become uncharacteristically quiet as she watched her companions talk amongst themselves. Something was not adding up here. Despite not commenting on it, she had in fact noticed increasing hostility between Yuu and Chloe on their trek through the factory. She'd been hoping it was nothing. She was hoping she'd imagined it. She was hoping it would stop eventually.

It hadn't.

Obviously Yuu hadn't been the nicest to Jill when they first met, but the ninja girl was used to that. People seemed to get exasperated with her very easily. Even her beloved grandparents had moments where their expression showed a clear... frustration... disappointment? Some kind of emotion that Jill couldn't quite identify but definitely made her stomach sink. They were always apologising for her, always telling her to slow down, telling her to consider other people. She did try to consider other people, but it didn't to seem to make a difference. That's why she was so surprised when she'd first befriended Zeph, and now when Chloe had so quickly taken her under her wing. She really wasn't used to such unflinching and complete acceptance.

That's why, when Yuu had immediately made some unprovoked rude comments towards Chloe that Jill had been incredibly confused. The other girl hadn't even had a chance to say anything before Yuu seemed to pass judgement on her, and it was strange. Jill hadn't known Chloe that long but in that time, she'd been nothing but nice to her, and had been so eager to come along and help Clarissa when she needed it. Obviously, she'd been a bit rude to Yuu, but in her defense, he had been rude first. None of this made sense, and after a bit, Jill had just started to wonder if Yuu was like this to everyone.

Then Clarissa had shown up, and that theory was dashed. Yuu seemed completely different, much nicer, much more complimentary, moreso than he'd been to even Remi and Nevine, who he'd seemed mildly more tolerant of during their fight. And while Clarissa seemed like a nice enough person, Jill couldn't really identify anything off the bat that would make Yuu substantially nicer to her than to anyone else they'd met.

Then Yuu glanced in her and Chloe's direction and she realised he was talking about her. Huh? She quickly rewound the conversation in her head. Something about... contests? Oh yeah, she'd heard of contests. She'd even seen a few on television. They seemed pretty cool. She definitely wouldn't mind trying one at least once. Chloe in particular seemed interested so she'd like to go along just to support her.

She was about to open her mouth to speak when Chloe seemed to noticed her snubbull wasn't by her side, and quickly excused herself from the group to chase after her Pokemon, leaving her alone with Yuu and Clarissa. Jill glanced between the two of them, then in the direction Chloe had gone, considering what she should do.

"You know," she said suddenly towards Yuu. "You really should be nicer to Chloe. She's not a bad person, and it's not fair for you to treat her like one." And without further elaboration or even waiting for a response, she scooped up Aster in her arms and then went after Chloe.

Oleander, who had been floating quietly during this whole conversation, glanced dully in the direction of Jill as she ran off. They didn't make any move to follow, just watched her go off as if considering something.

"Girl, same! I'm SO thankful you're okay and SO sorry we took SO long. And like, in the end you saved us? For real, how hilarious is that?"

Chloe's gaze fell on the Pokédex in her arms as the purplette explained what'd happened. "Huh, so like, it's in there? That's so cool. But-- um, you might wanna keep that away from me for now?" She flicked her frizzed hair with furrowed brows, half-annoyed, maybe quarter-joking. "I hold grudges."

Clarissa raised one eyebrow for a moment, though soon returned to normal otherwise as she listened to the blonde explain things. She wasn't sure what the Rotom would want to do, and she didn't want to chase the little one off, but she could at least say one thing in particular for the time being. That much she could do at the very least.

"Ah, I'll try to be mindful of that moving forward."

However, the look on Yuu's face was certainly easier to read with her eyes than anything else. No need for powers there....and perhaps it wouldn't be a good idea to try to prod for more informatioon with them either in any case. Even his little partner Pokemon seemed to respond in a somewhat familiar-feeling manner to the psychic,

"You're an idiot."

Despite the insult, Yuu was slightly smiling at Clarissa; there was no contempt in his words as his response sounded more like a jovial, friendly prod at the psychic. "I don't know about the other two, but you don't need to do that for me... if anything should be the other way 'round considering that," Yuu jabbed a thumb in the direction of the open hole the forklift left in their wake.

"That's so generous of you, but if anything, I owe you a potion! Or like, two. Pretty sure a forklift would've been all 'super effective' on us, you know."

However, the offer to come with her to the Contest Hall certainly seemed to resonate more than she thought to each person.

Chloe seemed to light up vividly enough to the psychic's eyes it was easy to see the excitement in them alone. The girl even so much as grabbed one of her hands out of the blue, holding it in her own as she went on with several questions of her own about the event. Noting how she wanted to participate in them herself at some point. Asking about the time the show started. Noting needing to fix her hair once more despite the obvious. Talking about how herself and Jill needed to get themselves ready for it. Then ultimately her Snubbull getting distracted and zooming off after something just off of the factory floor before the blonde girl would zoom off after it in a seeming hurry and a hasty apology that the psychic felt wasn't nessecary due to how understandble the situation seemed.

Yuu, meanwhile, seemed to want to go but auidibly seemed not so pleased about going to where a Contest was in the first place. But inviting her to join the three of them? Er...was it even a 'thing' currently after the aftermath of this rescue operation? Or was it something barely holding together. The tension she could frankly palpably feel between the Chloe and Yuu already even without extending her powers beyond herself, especially from what little she was seeing from how they seemed to regard each other and speak thus far, though ultimately she felt prying or asking either of the two would not result in much but arguing and not much if any good for the moment being. Quite the opposite, really, if her gut instincts were telling her anything about this scenario.

Jill's next comments, however, would give Clarissa the rest of the context she needed otherwise in the moment.

"You know," she said suddenly towards Yuu. "You really should be nicer to Chloe. She's not a bad person, and it's not fair for you to treat her like one." And without further elaboration or even waiting for a response, she scooped up Aster in her arms and then went after Chloe.

Oleander, who had been floating quietly during this whole conversation, glanced dully in the direction of Jill as she ran off. They didn't make any move to follow, just watched her go off as if considering something.

....Why was Jill's Magnemite just sitting there though? Hmm. Not something she wanted to ask about in the heat of the moment, however, as Yuu's Rotomdex and partner rapidly took action it would take the psychic off-guard somewhat.

"Riolu!" Yuu took a moment to regain his balance as a result of the surprise yanking of his arm. Before he knew it, the Riolu was clambering up the side of Yuu's arm before sitting on his shoulder, much like Sir Lopsalot.

"Rio, rio, riolu!" Jojo held on to Yuu's hair as he cheerfully waved his paw at the Buneary, joyfully greeting and introducing himself to him. The small Pokemon would then give a bright smile to the bunny before holding its paw out to him, "Riolu?"

"Bun?"

Sir Lopsalot seemed to regard Yuu, Chloe, and Jill a little, before he would perk up somewhat as the other Pokemon tried to excitedly approach him in a manner of speaking. The Buneary would get a tiny chuckle out of Yuu's reaction to the clambering Riolu, finding it visibly amusing to himself, before reaching out to try to shake the Riolu's hand with one of his own little arms. The trainers could sort out some of their messes....Arceus knew he could read the room as well. But all the same, Sir Lopsalot seemed content and happy to find someone with a bit more of a positive energy about them at the moment. Or, well, perhaps he felt something similar from the little blue Pokemon? Hmm.

"Bun! Bun bun bun bun."

"...It would be my pleasure to join the three of you."

She still had no full idea of what to think of the whole arrangement, but with the seeming loss thus far of her prior compatriot the psychic still felt as if traveling in some kind of group was the way to go. At the very worst, there were options to split off with if the group fractured somehow. It felt as tentative and shaky as it could right now, though, and Yuu's attitude was certainly a thing she had gotten some kind of iniutial read on even as far back as the lab proper. Still, he'd been willing to help and he and Chloe had been on the same point of telling her that her offer to help them wasn't needed as much as it was the opposite of how they felt about it all in some manner or another.

Them? Owing her? It felt silly, but the fact anyone had been willing to come help was something Clarissa felt simply grateful for in the first place. It had also been an odd turn of events to manage saving her rescuers, however, as much as it was just outright ironic. Even so, the psychic glanced back over her shoulder in the direction Chloe and subsequently Jill had now run off into.

"Though perhaps we should help them for now? At the very least to keep safe after what you three seem to have gone through."

Motioning to Yuu in a generally friendly sort of manner, her facial stoicism notwithstanding, the psychic had basically invited him to come along and follow to help somehow. Maybe it'd help the group a little if they tried to help each other out? Maybe. Still needed to get to the Pokemon Center, perhaps, and then hit the Contest Hall in time. Time to check out her newest party member would be good as well, really, but at least getting ready in time for the Contest would be something. Not that she hoped it would go beyond simply a VIP meet-and-greet sort of thing really.

By the good graces of Celebi, she really didn't want to get on that stage at all. Even the mere thought could send a shiver down her spine. Please no, and no thank you. She already felt pressured to go after ealier anywho...but for now, maybe helping out Chloe would be a good idea. Yes.

@XxFellsingxX@Vertigo@Savo@Rune_Alchemist

Route 5
@PKMNB0Y

Luna, was just a tiny bit faster than Pawniard. Luna stood her ground, eyes narrowed and glowing red at a terrifying attempt to paralyze the Pawniard. Focused on the grass type as it was, it wasn’t able to dodge! The Pawniards body flinched and convulsed lightly as the paralysis took hold and both slowed the pokemon down and impeded its movements.

“Heh, good move kid, however,” Pawniard seemed entirely unfazed by the paralysis otherwise. As close as the Pawniard had already got, she couldn’t flee and use the Lileep as a shield, either. It carried through with its fury cutter, hitting Luna square across her face. “Pawniard won’t be fazed by something like that. Another fury cutter, Pawniard!”

The Pawniard Sharpened its blades. Luna couldn’t take another one of those attacks.

“Lileep, Confuse ray on that Snivy.”

“Munchlax, Lick on that Lileep-try and interrupt that Confuse Ray!"

Stellar Toy Factory
@Vertigo@XxFellsingxX@Crusader Lord@Savo

Taking off after her partner, Chloe would find herself dashing across the now quiet factory floor. Many of the pokemon had already run off from the commotion save for a few Magnemite still nearby, though they weren’t what Snubbull was chasing. Dashing through the ajar door, it looked like the room was some sort of old storage space. Shelves lined with old, forgotten plushies and other toys along with boxes and a few other miscellaneous items strewn about.

It seemed fairly quiet, but dark. Seemed the light had been out in here for quite a long time. There didn’t seem to be anything here, though -

Suddenly one of the piles of boxes fell over, nearly falling on Snubbull. A bunch of pikachu plushies fell out of the boxes as well. In fact, much of the plushies in the room seemed to be pikachu. Their eyes seemed to vaguely glow red as though they were watching her…

Something was definitely in this room, somewhere…

Jill arrived soon after, followed by Clarissa. The appearance of the other two though, didn’t make this room any less foreboding feeling. Or warmer. This place was noticeably cooler than the rest of the factory.

Clarissa’s pokedex started buzzing loudly before there was a loud crackle noise heard from it. Rotom still getting cozy in the device, perhaps.

Route 3
@Pyromania99

The pokemon, would choose the third option.

The Ledyba, upon seeing Camila would all give a collective cry of surprise. A somewhat sour scent filled the air as the entire flock of Ledyba took off from the tree, flying away from the startling strange human that had approached. They’d move deeper into the forest, just out of sight. A few of the perhaps braver ones would huddle together on a tree further back, eyeing Camila warily.

The paras, though, would choose the ‘fight’ option. A few of them scuttled towards Camila. Seemed like the Paras may be protecting the Ledyba? Perhaps thats what they were trading those berries from earlier for…





Secluded Grove
@Thayr

The Budew paused for a moment in its basking of the water and the sunlight. It regarded Isla sneezing with some seeming amusement before shaking its body again. The flower bud on its head opened a bit more. In a flurry of motion with a little ‘puff’ sound and motion, an orange cloud of spores were released from the Budew’s body and directly at Swiper. It had just used Stun Spore on Swiper!

“Swiper was Paralyzed!

There was no doubt about it now at least, the Budew had taken Isla’s supposed goodwill and had apparently used it to make itself stronger by using Growth and Stun spore before Isla even realized what it was doing.

While he had hoped that the paralysis would have stalled the Pawniard's assault a bit more, Richard's hopes simply amounted to nothing as Luna took a Fury Cutter to the face. The fight had quickly converged upon the Lileep's position, but any tactical advantage afforded by the presence of the fossil Pokémon meant nothing if their positioning was terrible. As things were now, any further battle would have Snivy out cold. With no knowledge as to the extent of their opponents' roster, having one less teammate available to fight was just asking for problems later down the line.

It didn't take more than a moment for him to recognize that both of their opponents were attempting to focus on Luna, and it took but a moment more for him to pull out her Pokeball and simply withdraw her from the battle altogether.

"That's a bit too close of a call for my liking," he remarked, glancing down at the capsule after pulling the Snivy back, "so let's not deal with that for the moment. Sara, you're up to bat."

With that, the trainer tossed the Nacli's ball into the air and released it onto the field—away from the three Pokémon already duking it out, of course. There were a scant few moments before it could process the situation, but getting it to recognize the immediate threat would hopefully help solve that issue.

"Sara, Mud Shot the Pawniard! Just keep firing until it goes down!"

With paralysis in play and the enemy Pokémon a fair distance away to begin with, Richard hoped that he could gain enough tempo to simply force the opposition to either attempt to weather the storm or fall trying.

@Rune_Alchemist

---

Location: Ancient Grove
Mentions: N/A

Isla sneezed again at the yellow-tinted powder, the burst of which could only be described really as a move, and immediately enough Swiper started to whine. He twitched a little, sure, but…none of those little movements and gestures that Isla had come to understand as normal. None of the little sniffs and curious ears. Not even a paw's motion. Her eyes widened at it, the realization of it fully coming. Paralyzed.

“Why you little-”

How dare this little, little guy take advantage of her charity? How dare this little Budew decide that it was his job to take what was offered and give back in fighting her? Not even Swiper had been that tricksy! Not even Swiper had been that deceitful! Isla's tone certainly wasn't gentle about the whole of it. The Budew had decided it wanted to fight, to make that first attack, and Isla felt her blood hot like it hadn't ever really been before.

She snapped out taut words, a whip to them as the duffelbag slammed on the ground with dust gathering about its base.

“Dancing! Hold them down!”

He charged on it, closing the distance fast between them while low, low, all while Isla quickly dragged out her blanket from the bag. It was big enough for a person, weighted enough for a good sleep, and entirely too massive for a Budew. Like a net, Isla cast the thing over the little bulb Pokémon just before Dancing got there.

Isla used Blanket!
Dancing used Helping Hand!
Swiper is Paralyzed!

---

"Ahh. Hey, no need to run away." Camila said as she lowered her phone, slightly disappointed they all ran from her. Then, she saw the Paras moving close to her in a somewhat aggressive fashion. "W-woah there you guys! I'm harmless!" The assistant struggled to get out before quickly sitting on the grassy ground with her legs crossed.

She took the position to seem a bit more on the level with the bug Pokemon. "I was just taking a picture of you guys because you guys were cute working together." Camila mentioned, figuring the Pokemon probably would quite understand her anyway. She put her hands up in a suggestion of her not being a danger. Thrn, she had a thought.

She reached for her phone and pulled up one of the pictures she had taken. It was one of thr Ledyba giving berries to the Paras. She would show the bug Pokemon her phonescreen. "See? Just documenting you guys being cute together." She really hoped this worked.

If worst came to worst she'd quickly reach for Snow's pokeball and release the Pokemon to defend her.

Route 5
@PKMNB0Y

As fast as Munchlax and Lileep respectively were, Richard didn’t have to worry much about them getting in the first hit as he’d make a tactical team replacement. Snivy was called back just as the opponents Lileep starting making its Confuse Ray, the ominous dark colored light forming above the Lileeps face.

“Li-Leeeeep!?”

Just as the Lileep started to fire it off, Munchlax had managed to make its way to the Lileep, opening its mouth as a large tongue would roll out from its mouth. The grass type was knocked aside slightly, the trajectory of the confuse ray completely missing Richards pokemon as it was sent out onto the field, helped by being released away from the fight.

“Tch…a miss….” Bea frowned, and Montgomery’s Pawniard made an attempt to close the distance, but would find itself unable to move as its muscles spasmed from the paralysis. “Lileep…how about we give them a taste of their own medicine.”

“Pawniard-!” Unable to move, Pawniard stared down Sara as Richard gave it its next instructions. There was little the paralyzed Pawniard could do. As the first Mudshot slammed into it, the Pawniard would attempt to lessen the damage done to itself, blocking it with its blades, but ultimately it would still be knocked aside, dirt and mud on its bright red body as it would struggle to get back to its feet.

“A-ah! Munchlax!”

“Hm. Montgomery. This battle is not going well.” Bea rather coldly spoke up even as her Lileep would wrap its vines around Munchlax, squeezing the last bit of HP out of the other pokemon.

“You’re tellin’ me. Guess this is what I get for not bringing the big guns, eh…”

“I told you we should have, but no, you didn’t want to cause a scene.”

“Okay, you did well, Munchlax…Verdue! You’re up again!” Laurel would recall her Munchlax, quickly sending out her Sprigatito once again.

Route 3
@Pyromania99

The Paras seemed suspicious. They’d surround Camila in half a circle, their angry little eyes suspiciously considering the human intruding upon their little home. They eyed the phone with the same amount of suspicion, until they saw the picture at least. Their beady little eyes softened lightly. One started tapping on the pokedex’s screen.

“Hey-hey claws off you grubby little bug.”

Understandably, Camphor’s voice chimed in, not sounding terribly pleased with the turn of events. The group of Paras seemed interested in the pokedex itself.

The Ledyba poked their heads up, a little curious about the apparently non-violent commotion.

Secluded Grove
@Thayr

“Bubu~!” Feeling energized by the reaction from Isla, the Budew would do what could only be described as laughing. Perhaps, it thought they were playing? Either way, as Dancing ran towards the Budew, it would keep its smiling expression as the larger than average pokemon would simply do something, perhaps, a bit unexpected. Anticipating an attack of some sort, the surprisingly fast Budew would twirl on one of its little feet like a little ballerina intent on avoiding Dancing entirely.

If it was a distraction Dancing was causing, it would work, somewhat. The Budew wasn’t expecting a blanket to be tossed towards it. The moment the blanket fell on top of it, the Budew, at first, didn’t react. It would sit there on the ground for a few moments.

Before yellow colored spores started seeping out from under the blanket and parts of the blanket started ballooning in some areas as the Budew released Stun Spore enmasse. Meaning, anyone going near it, was going to likely suffer some side effects of paralysis. It looked like the Budew was slowly trying to wiggle its way out, too, clearly not to pleased with having a blanket tossed on it. That said, attacking it directly might be a bad idea since it had its stats fairly significantly buffed by Growth...

Clarissa’s pokedex started buzzing loudly before there was a loud crackle noise heard from it. Rotom still getting cozy in the device, perhaps.

...There was something here in this room. She could tell it, Chloe's Snubull could seemingly tell it for sure, and as she followed behind Jill heading into the room it seemed Chloe couldn't much read the room herself. Even perhaps the Rotom getting adjusted to its cozy little corner inside of her Pokedex seemed to react. Well, or maybe it really was just getting adjusted with the whole buzzing and crackling. Could also be a warning of sorts too. Yet it all seemed to her to be more than just the creepy atmosphere of the factory, and more than the 'background noise' her powers had first picked up on after heading into the building, even, as if some grudge or something was lingering palpably in the air to the psychic's senses. The cool in the air spoke to some kind of ghostly presence to boot.

Looking over at the person she'd come to try to help, Clarissa could see Chloe holding a Pikachu plush from a fallen box of them that seemed to be lying on the floor. Yet something felt 'wrong' about the plush at the same time. For one thing, the eyes were an abnormal red, and seemed like-....oh. Oooooh no that wasn't a good sign.

"Jill! Jill, come look, we found plushies! Take one! Do you think Clarissa would like one too? Oh— hey, speaking of!"
"Jill! Jill, come look, we found plushies! Take one! Do you think Clarissa would like one too? Oh— hey, speaking of!"

"Chloe, Jill, something's wrong with those Pikachu plushies. Or....is maybe looking at us through them?"

For once, a mild sense of worry was in Clarissa's tone of voice, it seemed, despite her efforts to maintain a stoic expression and front for her part. Her hand even came down to the Pokeball of her new Murkrow as her other hand shielded her Rotom-inhabited Pokedex somewhat protectively without a second thought as well. Sir Lopsalot was just a normal type....he didn't have any moves yet that could touch a ghost type still.

Sir Lopsalot, for his part though, would almost immediately leap off of his trainer's shoulder after entering the room and would get on the floor near Clarissa and Jill's feet as he now too tried to use his ears and little nose to help sniff out the danger. It didn't even take the Buneary a moment to feel the chill and 'wrong' in the air like his Pokemon peer did, and much like Snubbull's trainer seemingly hadn't, and he was already in action without a second thought to the matter. He was an alert little thing for certain, but this was certainly different than the Rotom situation. Or the Murkrow he'd sucker punched in the windowsill earlier for that matter. Or the Aaron he'd punched back at the bar earlier in that first actually kinda thrilling Pokemon battle really. Er, all to say that he got the point indeed! Yes. Not that thoughts of punching more future opponents wasn't somewhere in the far back of his mind still regardless...

@Vertigo@Rune_Alchemist@XxFellsingxX@Savo

"Hold on there buster. You can't use this thing properly." Camila said putting her finger up as if telling it to hold on a moment. "Now, strike a pose little guy. I'll get your good side." The Pokedex went up and she angled a good shot at the Paras before snapping another picture before she held it out again, a little lower to the ground so he could get a good look at the picture. "I think I got it. You be the judge though, if you like the picture." She added smiling at the cute little bug Pokemon. She looked at the other ones. "Do you guys want your picture taken? Or, I can take one with you all grouped up?"

Camila didn't seem all too worried about them attacking her right now, though she wished she had a way to print one out for them if they wanted a picture of themselves. "It's all up to you lot. And your other friends that are hiding right now as well. I swear I'm harmless as long as you are." REalistically, it was probably more like she was talking to herself more than them. She gave a friendly wave and smile to the hiding Ledyba that she could see.

---

Location: Abandoned Stellar Toy Co. Factory Mentions: @Savo @Rune_Alchemist @Vertigo @Crusader Lord

---

Oleander glanced over at Yuu as the boy approached, a hint of wariness in its single eye. It listened to his words without sound or movement, besides the slightest bobbing up and down in the air as it hovered, and once he'd finished, it made no response nor didn't expression change to signify that Yuu was correct in his assumptions. However, when the boy and his Pokemon went after the rest of the group, the magnemite did finally take this as its cue to follow and floated quietly yet quickly after them.

After all, no matter its feelings towards these humans and their Pokemon, they didn't exactly want to be left behind.

---

As Jill entered the doorway to the next room, the first thing she saw was Chloe... crouched next to a bunch of Pikachu plushies, which seemed to have made the other girl quite giddy. Right, Pikachu was quite a popular Pokemon if Jill recalled correctly. The few times her grandparents had taken her to a city, it wasn't uncommon to find the mouse Pokemon's likeness on a variety of advertisements and merchandise. She didn't really understand why, though. Sure, Pikachu was a cute Pokemon, but she didn't find them significantly cuter than a lot of other Pokemon.

Regardless, Jill did approach Chloe, crouching down next to her to better look at the plushies. Aster, still twitching in her trainer's arms, scrunched up her nose at the toys, practically fixing one with a death glare. She really didn't appreciate the way it was looking at her.

When Clarissa and Yuu entered the room, Jill looked over her shoulder at them, tilting her head at Clarissa specifically. "Something... wrong?" she said. She then watch as Yuu walked over to them, crouching on the other side of Chloe and beginning to scan the plushie with his pokedex. According to him, one of the plushies was actually a Pokemon in disguise. While she was listening to him, however, she was not paying attention to Aster, who had taken that moment to slip out of her arms, approach one of the nearby plushie and proceeded to give it a good whack with tail-hand, attempting to send it flying, preferably at one or more of the other plushes. That would teach them to give her the stink eye!

---

Location: Ancient Grove
Mentions: N/A

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Oh heck. Isla stared as the smoke began to billow out from the blanket. It was pretty heavy, sure, but wasn’t enough with all the motion to be kept down. She could see the little figure moving up along one length of the blanket, trying to make its way out, and just sort of moved. Breathe in, move, pick up the two corners furthest from the direction the little guy was moving, and throw it up over. A billow of green-hue smoke came out with the motion, Isla taking a few steps back to cover her face and eyes from it.

“Dancing! Dig and pile!” She jabbed her finger at where the Budew was moving off to, the little Eevee taking her meaning. He started to dig, faced away from the blanket and smoke to pile on dug behind him, onto the edge of the blanket to weigh it down.

Isla heaved off her bag, watching for what direction the Budew was planning on going instead to weigh that down. What the end plan was…she really wasn’t sure. Of course, running off at this point wasn’t it - she’d have lost her blanket, and for what? Although…it’d need to get washed, sure, but Isla’s mind wasn’t on that. Bundle down the Budew enough for Swiper to get back on his feet, maybe? Yeah, that sounded like it worked. Oh, heck.

Isla used Blanket!
Dancing used Sand Attack!
Swiper is Paralyzed!

---